Adjustable shoe tree and stretcher



March .2 1924. 1,488,11 15 J. S. HANSEN ADJUSTABLE SHOE TREE AND STRETCHER Filed April 19. 1922 Patented Mar. 25, 1924.

JOHN S. HANSEN, OF BROCK'ION, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO 0. A. MILLER TR-EE- ING MZACHINE COMPANY, OF BRQCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

ADJUSTABLE SHOE TREE AND STRETCHER.

Application filed April 19, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. HANSEN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Brockton, in the county of Plymouthand State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Adjustable Shoe Trees and Stretchers, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My present invention is an improved hinge shoe tree, having novel, efficient and automatic devices to lock and hold the forepart and heel part of the shoe tree to any position to which the same may be adjusted, and to permit lengthening or shortening of the tree in said adjusted position.

In my development of the art of lasts and shoe trees, I have heretofore invented several forms of adjustable pivoted shoe trees, permitting a considerable range of adjustments of a shoe tree to fit different sizes of shoes, such trees being preferably of the hinged or pivoted type to facilitate the removal and insertion of the tree in a shoe. In this class of lasts or shoe trees, it is most important to have a simple, eificient and economical construction, and therefore it is of great importance to provide such a device with simple parts, in order to permit the marketing of the shoe trees at an acceptable price to the trade. In my present invention I have simplified the construction to three members, which give a shoe tree with the advantages of a hinged or pivotal action, a large range for adjustment, locking means which will automatically lock, hold and maintain the last parts in any position to which it is adjusted by the mere action of the adjusting portion, and furthermore, have devised such a combination of parts as to afiord great strength in the adjusting action, sufficient in fact to permit the utilization of my present invention as a shoe stretcher. Therefore, my present invention is entitled to be utilized both as a shoe tree and as a shoe stretcher, and this greatly increases its range of usefulness and value, and yet at a minimum of cost and simplicity of parts.

Referring to the drawing, illustrating a preferred embodiment of my present invention, I have illustrated the same in a typical type of shoe tree, suitable also as a shoe stretcher, wherein a forepart 1 and heel part Serial N0. 555,622.

2 are divided on an angular line of out 3. Through the abutting central portions of the forepart and heel part is formed a longitudinal saw cut or kerf 4 and from the heel inwardly is bored a recess 5. At the heel part is also bored an opening 6 at right angles to the recess 5. The tree or last as thus far described is of usual type for hinge shoe trees and can be readily prepared to 7 receive the metallic hinge adjusting and looking members, the wooden portions of both forepart and heel part being further bored to receive the retaining pins or rivets 7, 8, 9 and 10, these pivots being of appropriate diameter to be driven in the corresponding recesses therefor and remain securely therein.

To the last as thus prepared and before the pins and rivets above enumerated are applied, is fitted the hinge and adjusting plate 12, having formed therein an opening 13 to receive the pivot pin 7, a slot 14 in relative position to receive the pivot pin 8 in the heel part, and a rack portion having teeth 15. The length of the rack teeth 15 and of the slot 14; afford means, as well as limits, to permit the longitudinal adjustment and separation of the forepart 1 and heel part 2, the former being indicated in a forward adjusted position in dotted lines at 16. To move and to lock these parts in any position to which they may be adjusted, I provide a toothed wheel 18 freely rotatable upon the pin 9 and with cooperating teeth to mesh in the rack 15; and to rotate this wheel 18 I provide a worm gear 20, which latter fits the recess 6 and is held in its adjusted position by the pin 10, as clearly illustrated in the drawing. The handle 21 is applied to the shaft carrying the worm 20 to facilitate the rotation, as well as the handling and removal or positioning of the entire shoe tree.

Ihis construction enables the forepart and heel part to be relatively separated by a slight rotation of the handle 21, through which the gear wheel 18 is moved on its pivot 9, and the plate 12 moved forwardly or backwardly for the limit of adjustment for length permitted by the slot 1 1 and the rack 15 as above noted. The frictional engagement between the worm 20 and gear wheel 18 enable the parts to be firmly locked against displacement, without any further movement, looking devices, or the like, and. furthermore permit a construction of such power that the shoe tree can be positively extended so as toactually act as a stretcher longitudinally, when desired.

The assembling of the fittings to the last parts is easily, quickly and economically accomplished, the plate 12 being positioned and the pins 7 and 8 being driven therein,

and thereupon the wheel 18 is fitted with its teeth in mesh with those on the rack 15 and its pin 9 applied, whereupon the worm 20 is fitted, rotated in position and the retaining pin 10 driven in and the last is completed.

My invention is further described and defined in the form of claim as follows:

A shoe tree of the kind described comprising a fore part, a heel part, a vertically arranged passage in each of the parts, said passages being in a-linement with each other to form practically a single continuous passage, pivot shafts in the fore part and heel part arranged parallel with each other and extending transversely of the passages, a connecting link pivotally mounted at one end to the pivot shaft in the fore part and provided with a slot surrounding the pivot shaft in the heel part whereby relative movement of the heel part with respect to the connecting link is permitted, a rack formed on the rearward end of the connecting link, a pinion meshing with said rack, means for rotatably mounting the pinion in the heel part, ashaft rotatably mounted in the heel part, a handle on said shaft whereby the same may be manually rotated, a worm formed on the lower end of said shaft and meshing with the pinion, means for retaining said shaft in assembled position on the heel part with the Worm in mesh with the gear wheel whereby rotation of the worm will effect a to and fro movement of the heel part relatively with the fore part while permitting pivotal action of the toe and heel parts at all adjusted positions and will simultaneously and automatically lock the heel and toe parts in adjusted position through the frictional en-' gagement of the worm and rack engaging pinion.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN S. HANSEN. 

